Piano-lid adjuster



Dea. 16, 1939, 5. s. KLIRSHEEDT I 397359435 PIANO LID ADJUSTER Filed Oct. 5, 1928 Patented 16, 1930 EDMUND B. KURSI-EEEDT, F DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA PIANO-LID ADJUSTER Application filed Gctober 5, 1928. Serial No. 310,643.

utilize a prop mounted in the piano and so proportioned and arranged that, after the lid or cover has been raised, the prop can be brought to position to engage and support l e lid or cover. In large structures, such as concert grands, the lids or covers are very heavy and it is diiiicult and practically impossible for small or frail persons to raise the same and bring the prop to position.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and compact lid operating mechanism which can be operated readily by any person to raise or lower the lid, which can be easily built into a piano and which will not in any way detract from the appearance of the instrument.

l/Vith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred forms of the invention have been shown In said drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a piano equipped with lid lifting mechanism such as constitutes the present invention, a part of the piano being broken away.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of a modified form of lifting mechanism, a portion of the piano being shown.

Fi ure 3 is a section on line 83, Figure 2.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, A designates a piano of any type having a hinged lid or cover B. The means employed for raising and lowering the lid can be of different constructions. For example, and as shown in Figure l, a lifting member 1 in the form of a bar can be mounted to slide within a guide 2 and within an opening 3, this opening being formed in the bottom of the piano while the guide can be concealed in the piano. The lower portion of the lifting member can be provided with teeth forming a rack l and this rack can be engaged by a gear 5 carried by an actuating shaft 6. In the structure illustrated this shaft is journaled in bearings 7 and extends to a point under or close to the keyboard where it has an actuating element which can be in the form of a crank arm 8. Thus it will be seen that when the shaft 6 is rotated by means of the crank arm, gear 5 will move the member 1 upwardly or downwardly as desir d, thereby to raise or lower the lid.

For the purpose of reducing friction and preventing marring of the lid, a roller 9 may be carried by the upper end of the memher 1. Any suitable means may be employed for holding the shaft 6 against rotation. For example a leather loop 10 can be fastened at a point where it can easily be slipped on to orolf of the crank arm 8.

As before stated other means than those described can be used for raising and lowering the lid. For example, and as shown in Figures 2 and 3, a lifting member 11 can be slidably mounted in the piano body, this member corresponding with the member 1. Instead of providing a gear at the rear end of the shaft as shown in Figure 1, a shaft 12 cor responding with shaft 6 can be provided with a crank arm 13 connected by a link 14 to the lower end of the member 11. Thus when shaft 12 is given a one-half rotation from the position shown in Figure 2 the arm 13 will pull upwardly through the link 14c and cause member 11 to move upwardly and raise the lid.

What is claimed is:

1. The combinationwith a piano having a hinged lid, of a lifting member supported by the piano, and means actuated from a point outside of the piano for sliding said member upwardly and downwardly to raise or lower the lid.

2fThe combination with a piano having a movable lid, of an actuating member carried by the piano, and means adapted to be operated from a point outside of the piano for sliding the actuating member upwardly and downwardly within the piano to open and close the lid.

3. The combination with a piano having a movable lid, there being an opening extending downwardly through the piano, of an actuating member carried by the piano and slidable in the opening, means for transmitting thrust therefrom to the lid, an operating element for sliding said member longitudinally of the opening to open and close the lid, and means carried by said element at a point adjacent the keyboard of the piano for actuation by a person adjacent the keyboard.

In testimony that I claim' the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

EDMUND B. KURSHEEDT. 

